Apparatus for converting hydrocarbon oils



Aug. 21, 1928.

O. C. BREWSTER APPARATUS FOR CONVERTNG HYDROGARBON OILS Patented Aug. 21, 1928.

1,681,658 PATENT OFFICE.

UNITED STATES OSWALD C. LBREWSTER, OF CASTPER, WYOMING, ASSIGNOR T STANDARD OIL COM- PANY, OF WRITING, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA..

APPARATUS FOB CONVERTING HYDROGARBON OILS.

Application led .Tune 20, 1925. Serial No. 38,514.

The present invention relates to improvements in apparatus for converting hydrocarbon oils, and 'will be fully understood from the following description, illustrated by the 6 accompanying drawing, in which apparatus for carrying the invention into eifect is diagrammatically illustrated. The process herein described is claimed in a co-pending application, Serial No. 38,513.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral indicates the still or chamber, pre erably lagged.` in which the conversion peration takes place. From this still, vapors lass through a line 6 to a suitable stripping column 7, in which they are stripped of their heavier' fractions by being intimately contacted with fresh oil supplied to the system, as hereinafter more fully set forth. From the stripping column 7, vapors pass through the line 8 to a condenser 9, and the condensate and cool vapors pass from the latter through the line`10 to a receiving drum 11. From the receiving drum condensate may be discharged through the line 12 controlled byk valve 13au and uncondensed gases are discharged through the line 13 controlled by valve 14. Air or other oxidizing gas containing oxygen is supplied to the still from the main air supply line 15 through line 16 controlled by valve 17, and entering the lower portion of the still 5. As will be hereinafter .more fully pointed out, the heat required for conversion of the oil in the still is supplied by internal combustion edected by means of the air or oxygen supplied in this manner.

Suitable means exteriorly of the .still 5 are provided for bringi g the contents of the still to a temperature all which active oxidation will take place. As shown in the drawing, oil may be withdrawn vfrom the still through the line 18 by the pump 19 and ,forced through the externally fired heating coils 20. The heatedoil is discharged from the coil20 through lines 21 and 22, through which it returns to the still 5.

In beginning operation, the still 5 is filled with oil, and a circulation'isstablished by mea-ns of the pump 19, through the externally fired coil or preheater 20 and back to the still until the oil has been brought to a suitable temperature, say'600 to 650'o F. or higher, at which oxidation will begin on the supply of air to the still. When the oil in the Still has reached a suitable temperature, air is supplied through the line 16 and controlled by the valve 17 to maintain the desired temperature in the still.

Means are provided for supplying oil tothe still 5 after the operation of conversion by internal combustion has begun. In the form of the invention illustrated, a feed preheater 23 is provided, suitably in the form of a column or tower containing bubble plates 24:. Fresh oil is fed to the upper portion of this preheater column through the line 25, the preheater column having first been brought to a temperature at which active oxidation will spontaneously take place by the supply of heated oil thereto from the heating coil 20 through the lines21 and 26, the latter being controlled by the valves 27 and 28. Air from the main supply line 15 is supplied to the lower portion of the oxidizing preheater 23 through the line 29 controlled byvalve 30, and entering the preheating column 23 near its base. The supply of air is controlled so that the oil entering through the line 25 is brought, to a conversion temperature of, say, 650 to 7 20 or higher while passing through the preheating column. The period during which the oil remains in the pre-heating column is so short that substantially no deposition of carbon can take place therein. The oil preheated in the column 23 is supplied to the stripping column 7 through the line 31, and passes through the stripping column in countercurrent to the vapors issuing from the still through line 6,. The vapors are thereby stripped of their heavy ends, and the fresh oil, together with reflux, passes from the stripping column 7 through the line 32 into the still 5.

The gas and vapors issuingV from the preheating column 23 pass out through vapor 'line 33 into a condenser' and cooler 34, from which the condensate and coolcd gases pass to a drum 35. From this drum, condensate is discharged through a trap line 36 to the line 25, through which it is caused to re-enter the preheating column 23 with the feed stock. Uncondensed gas and vapors pass out of the drum 35 through line 37,'which connects with the gas line 13 leading from the distillate collecting drum 11.

To illustrate the operation of the device, the still 5 is charged with the oil to be converted, say a crude residue of about 19 to 20 Baume gravity, and is brought to a tempelrature of 650o` or higher, say about 7 40 F., by circulating the oil by means oi pump 19 through the externally fired heating coil 20, the oil returning to the still through the lines 21 and 22. When the oil Within the still has been brought to the desired temperature, the iiow of oil through the heating coil 20 is stopped, and air is supplied through the line 16. The supply of air is controlled to maintain the desired temperature, say 720o to 760 F. within the still 5.

When the oil being circulated through the heated coil 20 has reached a temperature of 650O or higher, a part of this oil is diverted through the line 26 into the column 23, into which air is 'supplied through the line 29, and controlled by the valve 30. The fresh oil to be supplied to the system enters the preheating column 23 through the line 25, and the supply of air to the preheating column is controlled so that the oil reaches, in the base of the column, a predetermined temperature of 650 F. or higher, and preferably about 700 to 740o F. It is understood, of cour-se, that the supply of oil through the line 26 from the fired coil 21 to the preheating column 23 is stopped when operation of the column in its proper manner begins.

At this stage of operation, the contents of the still 5 receive all their added heat from the combustion of oil by controlled quantities of air admitted through the line 16. At the same time, the fresh stock to be supplied to the still 5 during operation is preheated, also by controlled oxidation, Within the preheating column 23, from which it is discharged as soon as it attains thc desired temperature, the heated oil remaining in the prcheating column 23 for an insufficient period of time to cause coke deposition therein to any'substantial extent. The preheated oil from the column 23 passes through the line 31 into the upper portion of the stripping column 7, through which it descends countercurrent through the vapors and gases rising from the still 5 through the line 6. In descending the column, the feed stock causes some condensation of heavy ends of the vapors issuing from the still, and the condensate formed therein, together with the fresh oil pass through the line 32 into the still 5. The operation of feeding and conversion by controlled oxidation Within the still 5 are continued until the still is substantially filled with coke.

The vapors issuing from the column 7, which have been deprived of their heavier ends, pass out through the line 8 and are condensed in the condenser 9. The condensate and uncondenscd gases and vapors pass into the receiving drum 7, from which the gases are discharged through the line 13.

In the preheating column 23, the air or other oxidizing gas introduced to effect preheating may cause a moderate amount of distillation. Substantially all the vapors formed in the lower part of the column are condensed by the cold feed stock supplied through theline 25. Any uncondensed portion passing out of the column 23 through the 'through the line 37 to the gas line 13. The

condensate collected in the drum 35 is discharged through the line 36 and enters the feed stock line 25, again entering the preheating column 23.

The entire system is maintained under a pressure of 4 to 5 atmospheres or higher. Suitable pressures may be, for example, from 100 to 300l pounds gauge. As already pointed out, the temperatures employed are in excess of about 650 F., and preferably about 720 to 760 F. Higher temperatures may be employed, if'desired: for example, temperatures ranging to 8500 F. or higher. It is preferred, however, not to employ such higher ranges of temperatures, as the amounts of air or other oxidizing gas required tomaintain them tend to cause excessive distillation of undesired heavy end products.

I claim 1. In apparatus for the conversion of hydrocarbon oils, a chamber adapted to contain a body of oil, means for heating said body of oil whereby said body of oil is maintained at conversion temperatures, means for conducting vapors away from said chamber, a separate chamber adapted to contain oil, means for passing heated oil from said chamber to said separate chamber whereby the oil in said separate chamber is brought to oxidizing temperature` means for supplying fresh oil to said separate chamber, means for supplying an oxidizing gasin said separate chamber whereby the oil supplied thereto is brought to conversion temperatures, and means for conveying theY heated oil from said separate chamber to said oil containing chamber. V

2. In apparatus for the conversion of hydrocarbon oils, means for maintaining a body of oil under pressure and at conversion temperature, means for conducting vapors away from said chamber, means for maintaining a separate pool of oil, means for passing heated oil from said body of oil to said separate pool of oil whereby the oil in said separate pool is brought yto oxidizing temperature, means for supplying an oxidizing gas to said separate pool of oil, means for continuously supplying fresh oil to said separate pool, and

means for removing oil from said separate ppollof oil and conducting it into said body o o1.

3. In apparatus for the conversion of hvdrocarbon oils. means for maintaining a body of hydrocarbon oil under pressure and at 'conversion temperature, means for maintaining a plurality of separate pools of oil apart from said body of oil, means for {iowing oil successively through said separate Y pools of oil, means for causing an oxidizing gas to pass in contact with said sepa-rate pools of oil in countercurrent to the direction of flow of oil therethrough, said oxidizing gas being accompanied by vapors rising from the successive pools, and means for conducting oil from the last of said pools of oil to said body of oil.

4. In apparatus for the conversion of hydrocarbon oils, means for maintaining a body of oil under pressure and at conversion temperature, means for maintaining a separate pool of oil, means for supplying an oxidizing gas to said separate pool of oil to heat it to conversion temperature, means for continuously supplying fresh oil to said separate pool, means for removing vapors from the body of oil, a column, means for removing heated oil from said separate pool of oil, means for causing oil from the separate pool of oil to pass through said column in countercurrent to the vapors issuing from the body of oil, and means for subsequently supplying tige olil from said separat-e pool to said body o oi 5. -In apparatus for the conversion of hydrocarbon oils, means for maintaining a body hydrocarbon oil under pressure and at conversion temperature, means for maintaining a plurality of separato pools of oil apart from said body of oil, means for flowing oil successively through said separate pools of oil, means for causing an oxidizing gas to pass in contact with said separate pools of oil in countercurrent to the direction of flow of oil therethrough, thereby heating the flowing oil, said oxidizing gas being accompanied by vapors arising from the successive pools, means for removing vapors from the body of oil,

a column, means for causing heated oil from the pools of oil to pass through said column in countercurrent to the vapors issuing from the body of oil, and means for subsequently supplying the oil to said body of oil.

6. In apparatus for the conversion of hydrocarbon oils, a conversion chamber in which a body of hydrocarbon oils is maintained under pressure and at conversion temperature, means for supplying an oxidizing gas to said conversion chamber, a column, means for passing vapors from said conversion chamber to the lower portion of the column, a second column containing bubble plates, means for passing fresh oil through the second column, means for supplying an oxidizing gas to the second column tobring the oil therein to conversion temperature, means for conveying oil from the base of said second column to the first mentioned column to pass therethrough in countercurrentto the vapors rising from the-conversion chamber, and means for conveying oil from the base of the first mentioned column to the conversion chamber.

' 7. In apparatus for the conversion of hydrocarbon oils, a conversion chamber, a stripping column, a preheating column, a heating coil, means for passing oil from the Conversion chamber through the heating coil and back to the conversion chamber to bring the oil in the latter to conversion temperature, means for diverting a portion of the oil from the heating zone to the preheating column, means for passing oxidizing gases to the conversion. chamber and to the preheating column, means for supplying fresh oil to the preheating column, means for discharging the oil from the preheating column into the stripping column, means for conveying vapors from the conversion chamber to the stripping column to pass therethrough in countercurrent to the oil, and means for conveying oil from the stripping column to the conversion chamber. c

OSWALD C. BREWSTER. 

